Vanguard Core Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VCRM) belongs to the Municipal Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VCRM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VCRM
VCRM charges 0.12% annually. There are 16 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | VCRM vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | VCRM vs VTEB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | VCRM vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | VCRM vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | VCRM vs TAXT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VCRM
VCRM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 75. There are 28 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | VCRM vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VCRM vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 96 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VCRM vs AUSM | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 96 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | VCRM vs GUMI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 96 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | VCRM vs FUMB |
Top Performing VCRM Alternatives (YTD)
VCRM is at 1.45% YTD. There are 28 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.08%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.08% | 4.54M | May 2023 | VCRM vs ZTAX | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.98% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | VCRM vs OVM | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.85% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | VCRM vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.79% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | VCRM vs RVNU | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.68% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | VCRM vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VCRM
VCRM has 2.99% 1-year volatility. There are 89 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 34.95M | Sep 2025 | VCRM vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.64% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VCRM vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | VCRM vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VCRM vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.82% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | VCRM vs MYMG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VCRM
VCRM has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.72%. There are 67 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.23%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.23% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | VCRM vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | VCRM vs BSMQ | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | VCRM vs MYMG | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | VCRM vs GUMI | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | Apr 2019 | VCRM vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Vanguard
The 10 most viewed Vanguard ETFs shown here include VOO, VTI, VGT and span 8 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2T.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 72 | 13.74% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VCRM vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 72 | 14.27% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VCRM vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 58 | 27.80% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | VCRM vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 66 | 15.23% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | VCRM vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 35 | 9.81% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | VCRM vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 71 | 14.42% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | VCRM vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 90 | 16.57% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | VCRM vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 24 | 0.10% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | VCRM vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 74 | 11.89% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | VCRM vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 93 | 18.44% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | VCRM vs VTV |
Often Compared With VCRM
Investors most often compare VCRM with VSDM, SGOV, APUE. These 20 comparison targets span 16 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VCRM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VCRM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VCRM with funds that move differently
Vanguard Core Tax-Exempt Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VCRM.
Explore VCRM Diversifiers